Ensilage harvester



March 3, 1931. w. B. THIEMANN 1,794,654

ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed May 22, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 1 by {@044 Ally s.-

March 3, 1931. w. B. THIEMANN 1,794,654

ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed May 22, 1925 e Sheets-Sheet :5

March 1931- w. B. THIEMANN ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed May 22, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 1931- w. B. ITHIEMANN 1,794,654 7 ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed May 22, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet s by w Atr j/s March 3, 1931. w. B. THIEMANN ENSILAGEYH-ARVESTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 22, 1923 I [w I Patented Mar. 3, 1931 WILLIAM B. ,THIEMANN, or ALBERT fcrrv, ibwa ENSVIIIAGEI nnnvns'rnn I Application filedMay 2'2, 1:523. Serial no. 40,657.

This invention relates to improvements in ensilage harvesters of that type designedtO harvestand cut the ensilage in the field and deliver the same toa' Wagon designed'to travel 1-75 adjacent to one side of theharvester the harvesting being accomplished as the machine 1 is advanced over the ground surface.

One of the objects of myjinventionisto T p I provide a number of improvements over my 5 3L0 co-pending application for patent filed J an uary- 17,1921, Serial Number 438,004. I

I find in actual practice thatit is 'often i desirabletouse the harvesting machine forathe'purpose of cutting (silage from: the

$115; shocked corn and 'the "like." By providing means forflowering the "outer-end of the inelined: transverse *conveyor'fito a horizontal posltionfand making one: of the :side mem-' bers of theconveyor detachable," I have pro- 2 videdmeans whereby the shocked cornlmay gbe fed-.intdtheconveyor conveniently by an operator standing .onthe ground; the machine being operated by simply pulling it adjacent to the shock and throwing the fodder *5 2 ma ine said transverse conveyor, the machine beingsoperated' standing still. rather I than while being advanced;

w A furtherobject'is to provide an-im'provement in saidtransverse conveyor whereby'the 30 fodder or green stalks may be more'readily.

fed to' thefeeding mechanism of 'the en'silage cutter. Another improvement is to provide at yariable drive mechanism for the'elevating and 3;; gathering-chains, and whereby the speed of the elevating chains may be varied as-well as the speed of the gathering chains. In my 7 previous applicationthe variable speed simply applied to the gathering chains. M g

Afurther improvement consistsin carrying one of the sets ofgathering chains slightly higher than the other set, so that the gathering chains maybe operated comparatively close together, and at the same time 45 provide means whereby an ear of corn may pass between them"without breaking the chains or slugging the machine,

' Another improvement consists infp'rovid ingmeans whereby thestalks of corn' may Hi) bemore readily discharged from'a vertical illustrated in position to atransversely inclined position.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement a 11Cl C0mb1I1fl-ilO11 of the-var ous parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplatedare attained, as herei'naf-ter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,'an d' I the accompanying drawings, in which:" ":1

"Figure 1 isaside elevation of my ensilage referred to.

I; Figure 2 is a plan-view of the same.f if

.- Figure 3. is a a detail plan view of thesup porting. frame showing the arrangement'of I my improved conveyor driving mechanism. Q Figure 4 is an end, elevation'showing the v I 'mannerrin which; the. transverse conveyor is mounted and the improvements of the same.

'Figuref is transverse, sectional view taken on'the l'ine'5 '5 of-Figure 3;" v I Figure G isaa detail planview of themechaclined'trans've'rse conveyor; and a Figure 7;.is 'anfienlarged detail, sectional View of a portionof the gatheringchalns'and to taken on the line 7- 7 of Figure 1.-

harvester showing' t-he improvements above nism for controllingthe feed end of thein;

the frame for mounting the sameillu strating I the improvements of thesame above referred Inasmuch; as the present application is I. I

simply an improvementlover my previous ap-,, plication, itxis deemed unnecessary ,to describe the operation ofthe complete mach ne 7 in detail. The present drawings are substantiallythe same as the previous drawings'with theex'ception of the improvements.

My improvedharvester is mounted'upon a frame 10 having parallel and longitudinal- 1y arrangedmernbers'll and 12 'and' a diagonally arranged member 13. I The forward ends of the members 13 and 12 are secured together at 14; p Secured transversely withthe members 11,

12 and 13 is an axlemem'ber'16,comprising T parallelbars, which at' one end have mounted between them a block1 7; This block 17 is provided with axle-2Qton which is mounted awheel 21. Y

Secured to the opposite end of the axle 16 I have provided an axle 22, on which is mounted thebull wheel 23. This bull wheel; 23l' i provided with an internal gear member 24,

the purpose of which will hereinafter be made clear.

' l\/Iountecl n the axle 16, near the wheel 21,

57 are two forwardly extending frame memwith a brace member 27, which is connected to the member 26. The forward end of the.

members and the branches 2'7'form a supporting frame for the forward endof the gathermg mechanlsm hereinafter to be descrlbed.

The portions of'the members 25 inst ahead of the members 26 are each provided-with a cutter blade 28, arranged in a diagonal and" diverging manner, with the rearcutt-ing. edges slightly spaced apart. These cutters will cut any scattering stalks in the hill, while the'center stalks are designed to be cut by means of a sickle 29 which is slidably mounted to operate transversely withthe-movement of the stalks between the members 25; i This sick-le I shall term a harvester cutter, and is c .of the ordinary construction used in 11121.-

chines of this kind. Themember 14v of theframe 10 is mounted upon the bracket30, which is designed tore ceivea. slidablerack member v 31, said rack member having a shaft 32-pivotally mounted therein. The lower end of the shaft,32 is providedwith an axle 33, which is pivotally mounted thereon, each end of the said axle being provided with a wheel 84.. The rack 31 is designed to be engaged-by a pinion 35. This pinion 85 is provided with a shaft 36 which extends rearwardly.

Secured to the bracket Ihave provided a hitch bar 37, by which the device may be advanced over the ground. Secured to'the members '25 I have provided inclined gather-- ing members comprising boards 89-andcenveyor members 40 and 41. Each of said conveyors is provided with laterally extending lugs 42,.for the purpose of engaging the standing stalks. The construction of these gathering devices is similar to those of corn binders now in common use. The vconveyors on the left hand side of the machine are operated by means of an inclined shaft 48, while the chain 41 on the opposite side is driven by means of a shaft 44, each of the shafts 43 and 44 being provided with the ordinary sprocket wheels for engaging the chains.

Secured to the back end of the I have providedwhat I shall term atransverse conveyor'which comprises an inclined chute '45 having an inclined bottom member 46, the said chute including downwardly frame 10 extending frame members 214, the lower ends of which are pivotally mounted on a shaft 54, which extends longitudinally through a pair of spaced side plates 57 which are also secured to the back end of the frame members 11 and 12, and form substantially a part of the lower end of the chute45. I

' Rotatively mounted in the plates 57, I

have provided can ensilage cutter member 58 having a series of blades 59 which are of the type'used in machines of this kind. The members 58 are mounted on the shaft 60 above the frame. A cover plate 69 is provided for the upper edges of the plates 57.

An inclined bottom plate 71 is provided at the lower end of the conveyor 48- to receive the ensila-ge from the cutter member 58 and to deliver it to the elevating conveyor 72, the operation of which WilLherein-after be described; v

The cuttermember '58 is rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection by means of the shaft 60, which is extended forwardly and driven fromthe engine This engineis mounted upon the members 11' and 12,.as clearlyillustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The back' end of the shaft 60 is provided with a fly wheel 76 whiclrserves the purpose of imparting uniform.actiontoithecutters 59 and assistsin itakingcare of the excessive feeding.

having its forward end 1 provided with a crank wheel 7 8. .This crank wheel 78 is designed to operate the'sickleq29 through the connecting-rod 79, and is driven by means of a chain 80 operating on a sprocket 81 on the shaft 60, and a sprocket '82 on the shaft 7 7 V The rear end of the shaft 77 is provided with sprockets being designed to carry a chain 95,

thus providing meansfor the rotation of the shaft 54, which will inturn cause the conveyor member 48 to be rotated with the upper run traveling downwardly.

Mounted beneath the shaft 60, and slightly to one side, I have provided a shaft 96 designed to have pivotally mounted thereon the inclined conveyor trough 72. The elevator chain 104 of the ''conveyor 72 is driven by means ofthe sprockets 103 mounted on a shaft 96. The shaft ,96 is rotated by means of :a sprocket 201 from a chain'200, which in k i Mounted longitudinally beneath the shaft 60 and Ibeneaththe. members,5 7,'is a-shaft 7 7,

I turn is driven from a sprocket 202 on the shaft 63p I I v I 1:. -"The=chute 45 is provided with back plates 73 and 204, and front. plates 108 and 207. T he plates 204 and 207 form rigid side meme bers so arranged that when the outer'tend of the chute 45 is lowered to a horizontal position, as I shown by dotted lines Lin Figura the same may be-used for the purpose of feeding shocked corn to the cutter at which time the side member 108: may be removed if sodesire'd, so that theflcorn'maybe more conveniently fed to'the conveyor 48;

' The lower end of the chute 45 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 54'." The-free end of the saidchute is supported in its upwardly.

inclined position by means of braces 208 and 209, the lower endsof each of the said braces.

being pivoted to the main frame members 16 go by pivots 210; The upper ends ofthe said braces are detachablysecured to the chute 45 bypins 211. Similar pins 212 are provided near theout'cr end of the chute so that the upper ends of the braces 208 and 209 maybe detached from the pins 211, and secured to the pins 212, 'which permits the chute to assums a horizontal position, the braces being I213. This provides means whereby thechute secured in position'onthe pins by cotter pins may be easily and quicklymoved from an 1 inclined positionflfto a horizontal position.

When it is-moved to a horizontal position, the back plate 73'is detached so that-the fodder 7 maybe easily fed to the chute'45.

I have found that when'but two or three stalks are :being'fed at a time onto the con- VGfy01,l8, a little difliculty is experienced in getting thesame to feed uniformly, due to the fact that'they-clo notcome into engage ment with the beater 64' until a number of x them have been piled'on the conveyorr48,

' frame 215 is pivoted about a shaft 216., The

with theresultvthat a certain amount of slugging takes place. That is, when .thepile 1s built-up suhicientlyto be engaged bythe beater 64;, the whole pile will, then be fed into the mechanisinwhichhas a tendency to.

overload the cutter. v

To overcome this difliculty,I have provided between the side members 2140f the chute 45 a pivoted frame 215. The upper end of the lowerend of the frame 215is designed to carry a shaft 217 having sprocket wheels 218 designed to engage the under side of the sprocket chains 49. i

The conveyor 48 is provided with a few extra links and slats so that it is slightly longer than the previous conveyor, and so thatthatlportion of the conveyor 48whichis opposite. the beater 64 may beheld upwardly" to a point near the said beater, as illustrated in Figure ,5; The 'freeend of the frameis held upwardly by securing the upper endof' said frame rigidly to the shaft J 216, and mounting on the outer endof the shaft 216 a crank 219. The crank219 is providedwith a spring 220, one end ofzwhich is adjustably secured to theiside frame-member of the chute I 45 by abracket 221.l The spring 220 is designed to yieldably support the free endrof the frame 215'upwardly and to hold that portion of the conveyor 48 whichis opposite'the sprockets 218 close to the beater '64.

' By this arrangement,'-it willbe seen thatif a few stalks are delivered to the conveyor 48, they will be immediately brought into contact withthe beater 64, and thence fed to the -beater 66 and the chopping mechanism 59.

If a large number of stalks are delivered-to the conveyor 48, itfwill be seenthat their weight together with the pressure applied to them by "the beater 64-willrpermit the bulged portion'of the conveyorto befmo'ved' down wardly;

It will furtherbe seenthat the stalks be fed uniformly to the chopping mechanism justasthey are delivered-by the gathering mechanisiniand any serious slugging; pre- 1 vented.

1 I have provided whereby boththe -gatheringchains 40 and theconveyorchains j 132Jand '138 m'ay be operated at variable speeds relative to the driving shaft 145, op

erated by apinion'24afrom the internal gear 24 of-the bull wheel 23ythe two sets of cont veyor chains beingindependently variable with the drive shaft, and relative toeach 0ther.v -This provides meansxwhereby if the stalks are not sufficiently straightened up, in" case of badly tangled corn, by thegathering chains, they may be further assisted by'the conveying chains; Thisprovides greater flex,-

ibility and larger control by-the operator, so

thatxthe machineflmay be'made to ,meet the various conditions underwhich it has toop- Q2 erate. I

This is accomplished by providing a shaft '222jdesigned to carry the beveled gears 223 @111224. *The beveled gear 224is provided l sprocket'230 secured to the shaft 136.

Theshaft'222 is operated'thr'ough the gears 231 and232, thesaid gears beingisecured-togetlier, by a sleeve 233 whichlis. spline'd to the said'shaft and free to slide longitudinally thereon, thesame .beingactuated througha grooved collar 234', said collar being operated through any suitable lever mechanism not illustratedpin the drawings.

gear 2.32113 designed tobemoved into operation with agear 236 of a smaller diameter than. the gear 235.

o .By moving the sleeve 233 longitudinally on the shaft 222, it will be seen that either set The gear 231 is designed'tornesh with a I gear 235 secured to the shaft 145, while the of gears may be broughtinto operative relation with theirv respective gearsof the shaft l45,and the shaft 222 operated at variable speeds relative thereto. In the drawings I have illustrated only two gears, but any nnnrber. may be provided givin desired speed'relations. V g

The shafts 48. and 4-4 are driven from a shaft 14? on which I have provided gears 237 and 238 whichare both secured to a sleeve 239, said sleeve being splined tothe shaft 147 and free to move lon itudinally therewith.

The said gears 23'? and 238 are designed to mesh with the gears 235 and 236 respectively, so as to operate the shaft. 147 at variable speeds relative to the shaft 145.

It will, be seen that both the shaft222 and:

the shaft 147 may be thrown out of operation with the shaft 145 by moving the sleeves 233 and A39 to a position midway between the two extreme operative movements, in which case none of the. gears-will be in operation; I

I desire, however, to operate the butt conveyor 11.3 at a fixed speed relation With the shaftl45, as this will give a uniform feeding V of the stalks to the chopping mechanisnn'the stalks being fed by the butt conveyor at the same speed at which they are received by the gathering chains. If the corn is leaning forwardly, then the conveying chains are driven at a speed faster. than the butt conveyor,and the upper end of the stalks are moved to an upright position; or if the stalks are leaning rearwardly when received by the conveying chains 1-32'and 133, they may be'run at a slower speed than the speed of the butt conveyor, which will have a tendency to straighten the stalks so that they may be delivered to 1 the inclined transverseconveyor-when the stalks are parallel thereto.

By this arrangement it will be seen that either the gathering chains or the conveying chains may be thrown into or out of. operative relation with the, driving shaft and the variable speeds relative thereto, or the butt conveyor may be thro'wn'into and out of operative relation with said shaft.

In Figure 7 ofthe drawings, 1' have illustrated in section the gathering boards 39 and gathering chains 40 which are sin'iilar to my previous application with the exceptionthat I elevate one of the gatheringboards and the chain carried thereby at ahigherelevation than the opposite one so that the 'innerruns of the chains 40 may be mounted to travel comparatively close to the upstanding stalks, which is very desirable, so that the stalks may be positively engaged by the lugs 42 of'the conveyor chains. The lugs of one chain are designed to overlap the lugs of the opposite chain.

By elevating one gathering board'above the other, I have provided means whereby ears-of corn or other obstacles, whichare conany number of siderably larger than acorn stalk,and thicker than the horizontal distance between the inner edges of the gathering'board, may pass etween the two gathering boards and be turned to asubstantially horizontal position, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

.1 find by this arrangement that I have provided means whereby the stalks may be positively engaged by "the gathering chains and will be delivered to the cutter and the conveying chains without slipping between the lugs42, as is sometimes the case when the conveyor boards are spaced apart such a distance as to permit vertically arranged ears of corn to pass between them.

' I have found. further that cons derable difficulty arises in feeding the stalks .from

theinclined platform'lOS) to the transverse conveyor 48, due to the fact that ears of corn will overhang the upperedge of the gathering board 242, illustratedinFigure 1, in a manner similar to that shown bydotte'd lines in said.figure, the stalksbeing shown in positions 1 and 2. "When the stalks have reached the position 2, it will be at thattime ready to bedelivered longitudinally into the transverse conveyor, and the overhanging'ear will catch on the board 242 and holds the I stalk against longitudinal movement, in which case it has heretofore been necessary to manually relieve the situation by simply throwing the overhanging ear into the chute.

and to be deliveredto the chute 45, without preventing longitudinal moveme-nt of the stalk after it has entered the chute.

'The plate 243'has one end pivoted at 244 and the other end provided with a slotted bracket 245 designed to be secured in position by means of a bolt 246, so that the angle of the plate 243 may be adjusted relative to the member 242 at the will of the operator.

' Thus it will be seen that I have provided improvements of such nature as to overcome certain difliculties which have arisen through actual operation of my machine, and which have resulted in producing a machine which is adapted to gather corn and to automatically deliver it to a wagon driven beside the machine, and chop it into shortlen gths commonly known as ensilage, and which is capable ofrapidly delivering and handling the corn whether it be standing in an upright position or badly tangled, and further provide a machine which is adapted toefiiciently flowers and sedan grass.

' driving mechanism.

I claimas my invention;

1. In aharvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism, a stalkchopping mechanism, means for ..conveying the stalks from the gathering mechanism i and delivering them to the chopping mechanism, means for driving all of said mechanisms, means for varying the speed of the gathering mechanism relative to the speed'of the said driving mechanism, and

means forvarying the speed'of llllQSEllClCOl1- n veying mechanism relative tothe speed of the 2. In a harvesting machine, astalk gathering mechanism, a stalk chopping mechanism,

'means for conveying the stalks from the gathering mechanism and delivering them to the chopping mechanism, means for driving all of said mechanisms, and means for varying the speed of said conveying mechanism relative to the speed of the driving mechanism. I I

3. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism, a stalkchopping mechanism, means for conveying the stalks from the gathering mechanism and delivering them to the chopping mechanism, said last means including an inclined transverse conveyor, a primary beater and a secondary beater, the said transverse conveyor having one end adjacent to the chopping mechanism and below said beaters, and means for moving a portion of the upper run of said transverse conveyor yieldably toward the said primarybeater for the purpose of providing a variable feed space between the run of said conveyor and said primary beater. V 1

4. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gatheringmechanism, a stalk chopping mechanism, means for conveying the stalks from. the

gathering mechanism and delivering them to the chopping mechanism, the last said means including a conveyor, a beater, said conveyor having one end adjacent to the choppingmechanism and below said beater, and means for moving a portion of the upper end of said conveyor yieldably toward the said beater, for the purpose of providing a variable feed space between the run of said conveyor and said beater. I

5. In a harvesting machine, a harvester cutter, a stalk conveying mechanism for receiving the stalks from the said cutter, said stalk conveying mechanism including an inclined gathering board, a deflector plate having one end pivotally mounted on said board, and means for adjusting the angle of said deflector plate relative to the movement of the stalks over said board.

.6. In a harvesting machine, the combination with a main frame having means for receiving and operating on stalks, of a gathering mechanism comprising a pair of inclined endless belt devlces runmng 1n opposite d1- r'ections,onexof said belt devices beingfdesigned'to operate onone side of a row of upstanding stalks 'andthe other beltto operate on-theiop'posite side of said row of stalks, the

inner runs of said belts being designed to operate. in the same direction, the said runs being spacedaparta distanceslightly greater than the diameter of a stalk of corn, the said belts being mounted in substantially parallel plane's one above the other such a distance tnataniear of corn may pass :between the with the planesofsaid chains.

- .71 In aharvesting machine, a stalk gather inginechanism, 'a' harvester cutter, a chop ping mechanism, a conveying mechanism for; receiving the stalks from said gathering mechanism in a vertical position and delivermg them to the choppl-ngmechanlsm m a transverse and inclined :POSltlOIi, saldmechanism including fa closed platform having its delivery end inclined transversely toward said chopping mechanism, a transverse con- 1 veyor located beneath the discharge endof said platform to feed the stalks longitudin-allyto' the choppingmechanism,- and a deflector plate at the upperend ofsaid-inclined platfornrto deflect overhanging ears of corn 7 onto said platform at a=point near the'delivmy end" thereof.

'8; In aharvestingmachine,a stalk gather I d chains when the sa'idear has its longi-i, 'lnal'axis '11). aplane substantlally parallell ing'jmec'hanism, aharvester cutter, achopping mechan sm, a conveying mechanlsm for-re ceiving the stalks from said gathering mechanism in-a vertical positlon and dehvering themfto thechopping mechanism ina transa verse and inclined position, said -mechanismw including-a closed platform having its'delivery end inclined transversely toward said chopping mechanism, a transverse conveyor located beneath the discharge end of-said platform to'feed the stalks longitudinally to I the chopping mechanism, a deflector plateat the upper end of said inclined platform to deflect overhanging ears of corn onto said platform at a point near-the delivery end thereof, and means for adjusting the angle of said deflector plate relative to the movement of the overhanging ear of corn. j I

9." In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism,afharvester cutter, a chopping mechanism, a conveying mechanism for a receiving the severed stalks from said gathering mechanism and delivering them to the chopping mechanism, said conveying mechanism'including an inclined gathering board,

a deflector plate on the upper surface of said gathering board, and means for'adjusting the angle-of said deflector plate relative to the movement of the gathered stalks. v

10. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism,means for operating on the gathered stalks, means for conveying the stalks from the gathering mechanism and delivering themto the operating meansfthe 7 last said means including an inclined conveyor, a beater for feeding material to said operatingmeans, and means for. yieldably supporting a portion of one run of said in clined' conveyor inoperative relation with said'beater and said operating means. 7

11. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism, means for operating on the gathered stalks, a conveyor for delivering the gathered stalks, to the said operating ,mcans, abeater adjacent to said operating m to operate on one side of a row of upstanding stalks, and the other belt device to operate on the other side of said row of stalks, the inner runs of said belts being designed to operate in the same directiomsaid belts being mount ed in substantially parallel planes one above the other such a distance that an ear of corn may pass between said planes when the longitudinal axis. of the ear of corn is parallel With the planes of said belts. V

13. In aharvesting machine, a stalk. gathering mechanism, means for operating on thegathered stalks, vmeans for conveying the stalks fromthe gathering mechanism and delivering them to the operating means, the last said means including-an endless conveyor, and means for yieldably supporting a portion of one run of said conveyor in operative relation with said'operating means, whereby the space between, the movable portion, of said conveyor and said operating means may be varied to accommodate materials of various tl i-ieki-iesses being fed to said operating means.

14. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism, means for operating upon. thegat-hered stalks, means for conveying the stalks from the gathering mechanism to said operating-means, means for driving all of said mechanisms, means for varying-the speed of said cenveying'mechanism relative to the speed ofthe driving mechanism, said conveying means including an endless conveyor and a heater for feeding-material-to said operating means, and means for yieldably sup porting a portion of one run of said endless conveyor in operative relation with said beater and said operating means.

15. In a harvesting machine, a stalk gathering mechanism, means for operating on the gathered stalks, means for conveying the ranges;

stalks from" the gathering mechanisnicand delivering them to said operating means, means for driving all of said mechanisms, andfhand actuated means. for varying the speed ofxsaidiiconveying means relative to the speed of the driving mechanism, Iandxthe means for operating on the, gathered stalks.

Des Moines, lowa March 19, 1923.

' WILLIAMB. THIEMANN. 

